“When I was 17 or 18 I wanted to become a wine expert, and my parents wouldn't let me drink. So I was devastated. All I could do was read, and I read and I read. And I'd read something like, you know, 'Subtle hints of cassis.'”

American businessman, author, speaker, and internet personality

Gary Vaynerchuk is an American businessman, author, speaker, and internet personality. He first became known as a wine critic who helped grow his family’s wine business, and later built a career around digital marketing and social media. He is the chairman of the New York based communications company VaynerX and the chief executive of its subsidiary VaynerMedia. He is also a co founder of Resy, the restaurant reservation software company, and Empathy Wines. His public work centers on business, branding, and online media, and he has become a prominent voice on how companies use digital platforms to reach audiences.